Ukrainian Defense Forces advance by over kilometer towards Bakhmut

 Serhiy Cherevatyi, the spokesperson for the Eastern Group of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, reported the details on the United News telethon.

"The defense forces continue to hold the initiative (in the Bakhmut direction- ed.), put pressure on the enemy, conduct assault operations, and advance along the northern and southern flanks. In particular, over the past day, more than a kilometer has been covered there," said Cherevatyi.

Russian troops resisted by launching a total of 318 attacks on Ukrainian forces using cannon and rocket artillery. Additionally, they conducted 3 air raids. There were a total of 7 clashes, resulting in the deaths of 61 Russian soldiers, with 116 more wounded and 5 captured.

Cherevatyi reported the destruction of several Russian equipment including 2 enemy IFVs, 1 armored personnel carrier, 1 airborne assault vehicle, a Grad missile system, 2 Giatsint self-propelled artillery systems, 2 cannons, 2 radar stations, 5 ammunition depots, and an anti-tank complex.

At the same time, the spokesperson emphasized that Ukrainian soldiers are advancing without having an advantage in forces and means.

Ukraine’s counteroffensive

On June 4, the Ukrainian Armed Forces launched a counteroffensive on the southern frontline, continuing a series of offensives near Bakhmut and in other directions.

On June 11, the Ukrainian Armed Forces announced the liberation of Blahodatne, Neskuchne, and Makarivka settlements, near the border of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia regions. On the morning of June 12, Ukraine’s Deputy Defense Minister Hanna Maliar said that the Ukrainian state flag was raised again over Storozhove, Donetsk region.

On June 24, the Ukrainian Defense Forces officially confirmed the liberation of the territories near Krasnohorivka in the Donetsk region, which had been under occupation since 2014.

On June 26, Hanna Maliar reported that the Ukrainian Armed Forces have advanced 1 to 2 kilometers on the eastern frontline in the past week. During the offensive in the southern direction, the Ukrainian Armed Forces liberated 130 square kilometers. The Ukrainian Armed Forces also de-occupied the village of Rivnopil, Donetsk region. 

British Defence Minister Ben Wallace stated that Ukraine has already liberated more territory as part of the summer counteroffensive campaign than Russia had captured during the entire winter offensive.

But Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksii Reznikov stated that the already liberated settlements were not the "main event" but rather the prelude to a major counteroffensive.

Experts at the Institute for the Study of War believe that the Russian military is likely to deploy additional forces from other areas near Bakhmut in response to Ukrainian offensives in the area.

On the morning of July 3, Hanna Maliar reported that the Defense Forces advanced in the southern and eastern directions. Over the past week, the Ukrainian military liberated about 38 square kilometers. 

On July 4, it was reported that Ukrainian military forces were advancing on the southern flank around Bakhmut in Donetsk region and in the south.